Bosch Packaging Technology to buy machinery business from Eisai

The EIS series from Eisai is a fully automatic inspection system for syringes, which has a capacity of up to 36,000 syringes/hour

Bosch Packaging Technology of Germany is to acquire the machinery business of Eisai Co, a leading Japanese pharmaceutical company based in Tokyo, to broaden its inspection technology equipment portfolio.

The Eisai machinery business specialises in inspection machinery for the pharmaceutical industry and in 2010 generated sales of around €76m (JPY8.6bn) with 120 associates worldwide.

The business has facilities and service centres in Japan, Germany, US and China.

All financial details about the transaction remain confidential. The deal is subject to compliance with antitrust legislation.

‘Eisai and Bosch have been cooperating for years. We have formed a close partnership with Eisai, both with its pharmaceutical business and its subsidiary Eisai Machinery, which markets Bosch machines in Japan,’ said Friedbert Klefenz, president of Bosch Packaging Technology.

Eisai’s inspection technology is used in liquid pharmaceuticals with ampoules, pre-filled syringes, infusion bottles or vials, as well as in the production of solid pharmaceuticals such as tablets.

In addition, the Eisai machinery companies sell pharmaceutical packaging materials and machines from various manufacturers.

Klefenz says the acquisition will enable Bosch to offer a broader product portfolio in the area of inspection technology, from basic inspection solutions to fully automated high-performance systems for all commonly used applications on the market.

‘We can see excellent growth opportunities,’ he said. ‘Inspection technology is of prime importance to pharmaceutical manufacturers, because of rising demands on the production and packaging process due to increasing levels of safety requirements worldwide. With this acquisition, we will also further increase our presence in the Japanese market.’